Out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, rural, middle in Nigeria
Nigeria: Out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, rural, middle was 16.8% in 2021. ▼ Falling
Latest (2021)
16.8%
Change on year
down 4.9%
World rank
7th
of 35 countries
All-time high
30.1%
in 2007
All-time low
12.4%
in 2011
Years of data
8
2003–2021
Out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, rural, middle in Nigeria, 2003–2021
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2021, out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, rural, middle in Nigeria stood at 16.8%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.9% on the previous year and up 35.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, rural, middle in Nigeria peaked at 30.1% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 12.4%, in 2011.
Nigeria ranks 7th of 35 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, rural, middle in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 29.5% | — |
| 2007 | 30.1% | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 16.4% | -45.4% |
| 2011 | 12.4% | -24.6% |
| 2013 | 13.9% | +12.1% |
| 2016 | 24.6% | +76.9% |
| 2018 | 17.6% | -28.3% |
| 2021 | 16.8% | -4.9% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 16.8% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5.4%, 3.1× the median. (14 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 16.8% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 15.1%, 1.1× the median. (15 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 25.3% | 16.4% | 30.1% | 3 |
| 2010s | 17.1% | 12.4% | 24.6% | 4 |
| 2020s | 16.8% | 16.8% | 16.8% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 4 Mozambique 28.4% compare
- 5 Benin 24.3% compare
- 6 Gambia 18.9% compare
- 8 Democratic Republic of Congo 15.1% compare
- 9 Zambia 14.6% compare
- 10 Sierra Leone 10.6% compare
More education data for Nigeria
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 912,245 (2021)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.08 million (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.24 million (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 15.20 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 33.42 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.18 % change on previous year (2021)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1466 units per person (2023)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, rural, middle in Nigeria?
- Out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, rural, middle in Nigeria was 16.8% in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, rural, middle recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 30.1% in 2007.
- What is the lowest out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, rural, middle recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.4% in 2011.
- How does Nigeria rank for out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, rural, middle?
- Nigeria ranks 7th out of 35 countries with data for 2021.
- Is out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, rural, middle rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 35.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Out-of-school rate for children of primary school age, rural, middle quintile, both sexes (household survey data) (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release